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keep your chin up

to stay cheerful in difficulty

In Idioms & Sayings

In more detail

(idiom) to try to stay cheerful and positive even when things are difficult or disappointing

Examples

• Even though she lost the competition, I told her to keep her chin up because she had done her best.

How to use keep your chin up

This is an encouraging idiom used to urge someone (or oneself) to maintain hope and positivity despite setbacks or hardship. It is typically used in informal, conversational contexts and conveys warmth and empathy. It differs from similar expressions like 'stay strong' by emphasizing emotional resilience and visible cheerfulness rather than merely enduring difficulties.

Register: informal

Common phrases

• keep your chin up during difficult times
• keep your chin up and carry on
• I told her to keep her chin up
• just keep your chin up
• things will get better, keep your chin up

Synonyms

stay positive · keep your spirits up · don't lose hope · remain optimistic · stay strong

Opposites

lose hope · give up · despair

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use the phrase 'keep up your chin' instead of 'keep your chin up', or attempt to translate it literally from their native language without recognizing it as a fixed idiomatic expression.

Nearby in Idioms & Sayings

in the nick of time, it takes two to tango, jump the gun, leave no stone unturned, let bygones be bygones, long shot

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained